Grinding machine steady rest



July 20, 1943. H. A. slLvEN GRINDING MACHINE STEADYREST 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nav. 19, 1941 irl n Il M5 l Idil July 20, 1943. H. A. slLvr-:N

` GRINDING MACHINE STEADYREST f Filed Nov. 19, 1941 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmac/who@ HERBERT FZ'E/LVEN Patented July 20, 1943 GRINDING MACHINE sTEADY mis'r vHerbert A. Silven, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Y Norton Company, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 19, i941, serial No. 419,763

(ci. 51-23sl 6 Claims.

The invention relates to grinding machines and more particularly to asteadyrest for supporting and steadying a work piece during. a grinding operation,

One object ofv the `invention is to provide a simple and thoroughly practica-l steadyrest for a cylindrical type grinding machine. Another object of the invention is to provide a slfeadyrest which may be rapidly and readily moved to and from an operative position, Another object of the invention is to provide a two-bearing Vshoe type steadyrest which is pivotally mounted and arranged so that it may be swung to and from an operative position to facilitate a longitudinal indexing movement of the Vsteadyrest. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter. l i* Y The invention accordingly consists inthe features of construction, combinations of elements,

and arrangements of parts-as will be eXemplifed in the structure to be hereinafterdescribed,

and the scope of the application of which willY be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one lof various' possible yembodiments oi themechanical features of this invention;

Fig. 1 is a, left-hand end elevation, partly in section,-. of the improved steadyrest inposition on the grinding machine table; Y j i i Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the steadyrest as shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the improved.

steadyrest; i

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the improved steadyrest, thatis, a view taken looking at the steadyrest, from the position of the grinding wheel;v and .Y

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan viewoi the toggle actuated clamping mechanism.

A steadyrest has been illustrated in the drawings as mounted on a grinding machine table I0 which is arranged for a longitudinally reciprocatory movement relative to the base of the machine, as is old and Well vknown in the prior art of record. The improved steadyrest is particularly adapted for use onV a crankshaft grinding machine such as, for example, that shown in the prior U. S. Patent to Herbert A. Silven, No. 2,151,666 dated March 2l, 1939. In a machineof this type, the steadyrest is ordinarily located on the machine table and is arranged so that it may be positioned opposite theoperative face of a rotatable, transversely movable grinding wheel II so that the steadyrest'shoes will support a pinA I2 of a' crankshaft to be ground. The steadyrest grinding Wheel I-I.

erative position kso that after one pin on Vthe crankshaft has been ground, the steadyrest may be readily moved longitudinally Vrelative to the Ytableto position it in supporting engagement with another crankpin after the crankpin has been positioned in operative relation with` the A steadyrest base I5 is provided which may be readily clamped in position-on the Work supporting table I0. i The under surface of the steadyrest is providedwith supporting bearing surfaces I6, Il .and l'which mate with correspondingly shaped surfaces on the .work supporting table VIVI, A Clamping member I9 is pivotally supported by a stud 29 on the steadyrest base I5 and is arranged -to be moved into or out of engagement withthe clamping lug'2I xedly supported on the upper surfaceoi the table I. A -slidably mounted rod 22 onthe steadyrest base is provided Withnuts 23 on its right-hand end (Fig. l) which engage the clamping member I9. A manually operable lever 2K4 is provided for actuating a toggle lever connection 25 betweenrthe lever 24 and the rod 2-2 whereby the clamping member I9 may be readily moved into a clamping position to lock the steadyrestframe ,I5 in an operative` position on the. table I0, or may be readily released therefromrwhen desired.`

The steadyrest base I5 is provided with a pair of spaced, parallel, upwardly extending side plates which serve as a support for a pivotally mounted steadyrestirarne 23. A pivot'stud 29, which is xedly mounted to the plates Z6 andll and passes through an aperture in the steadyrest frame 28, serves to pivotally support the frame 28 so that it maybe readily swung to and from an operative position as desired. The steadyrest frame 28 serves as a support for a pairo work steadyingshoes 3!! and 3l. Thersteadyrest shoe 30 is arranged to engage the crankpin I2 being ground at a point diametrically opposite the line of contact between lthe grinding wheel I I and the Work piece I2. The steadyrest shoe 3| is arranged to engage the work piece at a point below the work axis and at a point adjacent to the line of contact between the grinding wheel II and the work piece I2. j

The Work steadying shoe 30 is fxedly mounted on the forward end of a slide 32 which is slidably supported Within the frame 28. A manually op erable screw 33 engaging or-meshingwith a nut 34 which is lixedly mounted Within the frame is connected at its inner end to move the slide 32.

A manually operable adjusting knob 35 is mounted on the outer end of the screw 33 and is held in a clamped adjusted position thereon by means of a clamping and stop member 36. It will be readily apparent, from the foregoing disclosure that a rotary motion of the knob 35 will be transmitted through the screw 3?. to cause a transverse adjustment of the work steadying shoe 38.

The steadyrest shoe 3| is mounted on the righthand end of a pivotally mounted lever 31 (Fig. 1) which is pivotally supported by a stud 38 on the frame 28. In order to adjust the position of the shoe 3|, the lever or arm 31 is provided with a roller 39 which is engaged by a slidably mounted wedge 48 which is slidably supported within the frame 28. An adjusting screw 4| is screw threaded into a nut 42 xedly supported within the frame 28. The right-hand end of the screw member 4| is rotatably supported within a bearing 43, and a head 44 formed on the right-hand end of the screw member 4| engages and is operatively connected to move the wedge member 48 relative to the frame 28 so as to raise and lower the steadyrest shoe 3| by swinging the arm 31 about its supporting pivot 38. An actuating knob 45 is mounted on the left-hand'end of the screw member 4| and is arranged to be clamped in adjusted positionon the screw 4| by means of a combined clamping and stop member 46.

The clamping and stop members 36 and 46 are arranged to engage stop pins or studs 41 and 48, respectively, which are fixed on the lefthand end face of the frame 28 and which serve to limit the rotary movement of the screws 33 and 4|, respectively, when turned to cause an 1,.

approaching movement of the shoes 38 and 3|, respectively. It will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure that the knobs 35 and 45, respectively, may be adjusted to any position on the screws 33 and 4|, respectively, to set up Y the rest so that when the clampand stop members 36 are rotated to cause an approaching movement of the steadyrest shoes 38 and 3| toward the work axis, the clamping and stop members 36 will rotate so that they engage the stop studs 41 and 48, respectively, to limit the rotary adjustment of the screws and thus to stop'the forward progress of the steadyrest shoes 38 and 3|, respectively.

A pivotally mounted lever 58 is supported by 2 a pivot stud which is fixed'relative to the steadyrest base I5. The upper end of the lever 58 is provided with a notch 52 which engages the lower right-hand corner 53 of the steadyrest frame 28 and serves normally to hold the steadyrest frame in an operative position. A tension spring 54 located between the side plates 26 and 21 is connected at one end to a stud 55 which is fixedly supported on the steadyrest frame 28. The other end of the spring 54 is connected to a stud 56 xedly supported by the upper end of the clamping block I9. The spring 45 normally tends to hold the steadyrest frame 28 in an operative position. The tension of the spring may be adjusted by means of the stud 55 which is screw threaded and is held in a clamped adjusted position by a pair of nuts 51 and 58 which are arranged on opposite sides of an end plate 59 which is xedly supported on the steadyrest frame 28. The pivot stud 29 for the frame 28 is arranged so that the force of gravity tends to rock the steadyrest frame 28 to an inoperative position. The tension of the spring 54 is adjusted to partially counterbalance the overhanging weight of the steadyrest 28.

The arm 58 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of a tension spring 68 which is connected between a stud 6I xedly supported on the lever 58 and a stud 62 which is xedly mounted on the clamping block I 9. When it is desired to swing the steadyrest frame 28 together with the work steadying shoes 38 and 3| to an inoperative position, the arm 58 is swung in a clockwise direction and the steadyrest frame 28 swung in a clockwise direction into position 28a so that the lower surface of the frame 28 engages an adjustable stop screw 63 which is adjustably supported on the steadyrest base I5. When the steadyrest is in position 28a, the work steadying shoes 38 and 3| are in broken line positions 38a and 3Ia (Fig. 1). To facilitate swinging the arm 50 from the operators station adjacent to the front of the machine, a, rod 65 is slidably supported in bearings 66 and 61 formedfon the under side of the steadyrest frame 28. The right-hand end of the rod 65 (Fig. 1) engages the lever 58. A manually operable knob or handle 68 is flxedly clamped to the left-hand end of the rod 65 (Fig. 1). It will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure that when the knob or handle 68 is moved toward the right (Fig. l), that is, away from the operator'when standing in front of the machine, the rod 65 will move also in a direction toward the right (Fig. 1) to rock the lever 58 in a clockwise directiony to release the steadyrest frame 28 so that it may readily swing under the influence of gravity to an inoperative position, as indicated in broken lines -into position 28a (Fig. l).v

When it is desired to again shift the steadyrest frame28 and shoes 38 and 3| into an operative position with relation to the work piece I2, the frame 28 may be readily swung in a counterclockwise direction into the position illustratedin Fig. 1, in which position the arm 58 is swung into the latched supporting position by the tension of the spring 68.

The operation of this improved steadyrest will be ,readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure. Assuming the rest to have been previously clamped in adjusted position on the table I8, thek steadyrest frame 28 is manually swung in a counterclockwise direction into the position illustrated in Fig. 1, after which the manually adjustable knobs and 45 may be rotated independently to move the steadyrest shoes 38 and 3| into supporting and steadying engagement with the work piece I2 during the grinding operation. As the grinding operation proceeds, the steadyrest shoes 38 and 3| may be maintained in the desired supporting relationship with the work piece I2 as it is reduced in size by grinding, by manual manipulation of the knobs 35 and 45, respectively. After a grinding operation has been completed, the knobs 35 and are rotated in the reverse direction to move the steadyrest shoes 38 and 3|, respectively, away from the work surface by an amount slightly greater than the amount of stock removed during the grinding operation, after which the knob or handle 68 is moved toward the right (Fig. 1) to rock the arm 58 in a clockwise direction so that the steadyrest frame may swing under the inuence of gravity to position 28a, that is, to an inoperative position with the shoes 38 and `3| in broken line positions 38a and 3|a, separated a considerable distance from the work piece I2 so that the steadyrest base I5 may be readily adjusted or indexed longitudinally along the table I8 after the table has been indexed to position the next portion of the work piece I2 for a grinding operation.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention apparatus in which the various objects hereinabove set forth together with many thoroughly practical advantages are successfully achieved. As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the 'accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a grinding machine, a steadyrest comprising a steadyrest base which may be readily clamped on `a grinding machine table, a pair oi spaced, parallel, upwardly extending plates thereon, a pivotally mounted steadyrest frame between said plates, a stud supported by said plates which serves as a pivotal support for said Vframe, a Work steadying shoe adjustably supported on said frame, means to adjust said shoerelative to said frame, a latch normally to maintain said frame in an operative position with said shoe in engagement with a work piece, and means to trip said latch so that the steadyrest frame and shoes may swing under the iniiuence of gravity to an inoperative position,

2. In a grinding machine, a steadyrest comprising a steadyrest base which may be readily clamped on a grinding machine table, a pair of spaced, parallel, upwardly extending plates thereon, a pivotally mounted steadyrest frame between lsaid plates, said plates serving as guides for said frame, a stud supported by said plate which serves as a pivotal support for said frame, a pair of work steadying shoes adjustably supported on said frame, means independently to adjust said shoes relative to said frame, a latch normally to maintain said frame in an operative position with said shoes in engagement with a work piece, and manually operable means to trip said latch so that the steadyrest frame and shoes may swing under the iniiuence of gravity to an inoperative position.

3. In a grinding machine, a steadyrest comprising a steadyrest frame, `a pair of spaced, par-V allel, upwardly extending plates thereon, a pivotally mounted steadyrest frame between said plates, said plates serving as guides for-said frame, a pivotal support for said frame on said plates, a pair of work steadying slices adjustably supported thereon, means to adjust said shoes relative to said frame, said frame being pivotally supported f so that it may be swung to and from an operative position, said pivotal support being arranged so that the force of gravity normally tends to hold the frame in an inoperative position, a tension spring partially to overcome the force of gravity,

of the frame to an inoperative position.

4. A grinding machine steadyrest comprising a base which is detachably mounted on a grinding machine table, a steadyrest frame pivotally supported on said base and arranged so that the influence of gravity normally tends to swing said frame to an inoperative position, a horizontally adjustable work steadying shoe on said frame, means to adjust said shoe relative to said frame, a pivotally mounted shoe on said frame which is arranged to engage the work at a point below the work axis and adjacent to the line of contact between the grinding wheel and the work, means including a slidably adjustable wedge on said frame to adjust the latter shoe relative to said frame, a latch pivotally mounted on said base normally to maintain said frame and shoes in operative position, and manually operable means to trip said latch to facilitate movement of said frame and shoes t-o an inoperative position.

5. Ina grinding machine steadyrest comprising steadyrest base detachably supported on a grinding machine table, a pair or spaced, parallel, upwardly extending plates on said base, a pivotally mounted steadyrest frame supported thereon, a stud supported by said plates which serves as a pivotal support for said frame, a pair of work steadying shoes adjustably supported on said frame, means independently to adjust said shoes relative to said frame, a latch pivotally mounted on said base, a notch on said latch to engage a portion of said frame normally to maintain said frame in an operative position with the shoes in engagement with'a work piece, a tension spring normally to maintain said latch in an operative position, and manually operable means slidably supported on said frame to trip said latch s0 that the frame and shoes may swing under the influenoe ofgravityto an inoperative position.

6. In a grinding machine steadyrest comprising a steadyrest base detachably mounted on a grinding machine table, a pivotally mounted steadyrest frame supported on said base, a pair of steadyrest shoes adjustably supported on said frame, means independently to adjust said shoes relative to said frame, a latch pivotally mounted on said base to maintain said frame in an operative position, a tension spring normally to maintain said latch in an operative position, a tension spring to partially counterbalanoe the weight of said pivotally mounted frame, and a manually operable means slidably mounted on said frame to trip said latch so that the frame and shoes swing under the force of gravity to `an inoperative position.

HERBERT A. SILVEN. 

